Pneumatic peeling arm



S. PUCCINELLI PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM March 8, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16. 1956 mvENfoR Al., n:

N n v BY ,fm-L.

SYLVIO FUCQINELLI ATTORNEY S. PUCCINELLI PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM March 8, v 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fiied May 16. 1956 vINVEN'I'ORS SYLVIO PUCCINELLI av Afl/fw ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 s. PucclNELLl PNEUMATIC PEELING ARM 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 16, 1956 I7 SYIZ/ ////F| AWIIm-H-HHI INVENTCRS SYLVIO PUCCINELLI ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 s. PucclNELLl PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed may 1s, 195e "Hum mv rw PV N f O fno-l@ W Ov mo Ov. 6 e @.L@ Q no ou @ima n w 6 ov G l om l- 3mJ .Q

INVENTOR SYLVIO PUCCINELLI March 8, 1960 s. PucclNELLl PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM 'I Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 16. 1956 INVENTGR SYLVIO PUCCINELLI I'Nnmll BYMMW.

March 8, 1960 s. PucclNELLl PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM 7 `Sheets-Sheet. 6

Filed May 16. 1956 ,MON

mvl-:Nron

sYLvlo PuccluELu ATTORNEY March 8, 1960 s. PucclNELLl 2,927,615

PNEUMATIC FEELING ARM Filed May 1s, 1956 7 sheets-sheet 7 ID QE INVENTOR SYLVIO PUCCINELLI ATTORNEY United States lice PNEUMATIC `PEELING ARM Sylvio luccinelli,` San Jose, Calif., assignor to Food 'Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, Cal1f.a corporation of Delaware Application May 1'6, 1956, Serial No. 585,191

-6 claims. (Cl.14643) This invention appertains to machinery Yfor processing fruit andmore particularly relates to an improved' inachine for'peeling fruit, such as pears and the like.

In'one commercial method of peeling pears, each pear is iinpaled along its axis on a substantially horizontal spindle and moved in a straight line path under a series of consecutive cutting blades. Each blade contacts 'the stem end of the pear, moves along the length of the pear, and down over the butt end. Since the butt end ofthe pear is inclined rather steeply, it is diilicult to keep the` cutter in contact with the surface as it moves over the butt end` It is, therefore, an object'of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for 4maintaining the cutting blade of a straight line pear peeler in contact with the surface of the pear as it travels over the entire length of the pear. Y r t Another object is to provide a pear support mechanism capable of adequately supporting the pear during each peeling strokeV of the blades and arranged to temporarily release the pearin the interval between successive peeling strokes to permit the pear to be indexed about its axis to an unpeeled surface to the next cutting blade.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following de-` scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan of a pear peeling' machine constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation ofthe machine of Fig; 1. Y

i Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a portion of the machine of Fig. l taken looking in direction of arrows 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is anenlarged fragmentary perspective, partly broken away, of the cutter assembly used with the pear machine of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation taken looking in the direction' of arrows 6-6 of Fig. 5. k

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 8, 9 and l0 are vertical sections, similar to Fig. 7, with parts broken away, and showing the mechanism in different operating positions. Y

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken along lines 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary plan, with parts broken away, taken looking along lines 12--12 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged exploded perspective of one of the pear clamping arms used in the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 14 is an'exploded section of Fig. 13 looking in the direction of arrows 14-14.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective of the pear clamp ing mechanism, partly broken away and' looking in the direction of arrows 15--15 of'Fig. 12.

-In Figs. 2 and 3 the reference numeral 25 indicates a 2,927,615 Patented Mar. 8, 1960 carriage on which a fruit 26, such as a pear, is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow 27 along a 'support structure 28, with the stemblossom axis of the pear disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. The pear is impaled on a support rod, or tube 29, and is supported by a pair of laterally spaced, oppositely disposed' clamping cups 30 (Fig. l) which are pivotally mounted on the carriage 25 in a manner to be described presently. As the pear is carried along the structure 28, it passes under a plurality of consecutive cutter assemblies 314 (Fig. 3) each of which contacts the pear at its stem end and slices a longitudinal strip of peel from the surface of the pear, the strip extending from the stem end to the blossom or butt end'of the pear. In order that the blade of each successive cutter assembly 31 will contact a'n unpeeled portion of the pear, the support tube 29 is indexed angularly about its axis immediately after the pear passes each cutter assembly. It will be understood that a suflicient number of cutter assemblies 31 are provided so that the cuts will overlap and the skin will be removed from the entire surface of each pear during one complete angular indexing of the pear.

The support structure 28 comprises a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side frame members 32 and 33 (Fig. 1), each side frame consisting of a plurality of upright posts 34, at the upper ends of which is secured a longitudinally extending rigid bar 35. The side frame members 32 and 33 are secured together in mutual bracing relation by transverse straps 36. Two elongated sup. port bars 37 and 38 are positioned in an elevated position on the far side of the support structure as seen in Fig. 2. These bars, which are secured by bolts 40 to vertical posts 41 projecting upwardly'from the frame structure 33, extend longitudinally of the machine along bolts 46 on each side of thecarriage 25, the groove of each wheel 'being adapted to receive the edge of one of the tracks 43 or 44 in rolling engagement. Each carriage 25 is propelled along the support structure bya continuously driven endless chain 47, which is mounted on the support structure 28 in a conventional manner and has its upper run supported in sliding relation on a at support bar 48 mounted on the frame member 28 immediately below and parallel to the bar 43. The chain 47 is provided with a plurality of spaced .upstanding drive lugs 49, each of which is arranged to engage in driving contact an arm 50 which overlies the chain 47 and which is integrally formed on a bracket 51, tixedly secured to the forward portion of each carriage 25. With this arrangement, the continuously moving chain 47 may simultaneously advance a plurality of carriages 25 one after the other past the aligned cutter assemblies 31.

The spaced tracks 43 and 44, which support the carriages, may be at throughout their length so that each carriage with an unpeeled pear thereon may behbodily placed onthe tracks at one end of the machine, as yat the left end (Fig. 2) and removed at the opposite end after the pear has been peeled.- If desired, the tracks 43 and 44 may be formed as a closed circuit along which the carriages are continuously moved.

r mounted on the outer end of a support arm 5 7 by means of a setscrcw 59 that extends 'through an opening in the arm and is threaded into the spindle. Each support arm carries a stub shaft 58 which is rotatably 'jouralled in each of two arms 60 and 61 of a yoke 62. The two arms 57 are joined by a bari56 (Fig. 3) to form arigid support bracket for the guide roller 52. The composite guide roller 52 is, therefore, freely rotatable about an axis defined by the aligned spindles S and 'is rotatable as a unit with the spaced arms 57 about the axis defined by the aligned stub shafts 58. Ators'ion spring 64,(Fig. 5) is anchored at one end in a hole 65 in the yoke 61 and, at the other end, in a lcollar 67 adjustably secured to one of the aligned stub shafts 58 by a set screw (not shown). vThe torsion spring 64 tends to -rotate ,the associated stub shaft 58 in a clockwise direction Fi'g. 6.)., and to thereby pivot the guide roller 52 and Ythe two support arms 57 as a uni-t toward the position shown in Fig. 6, which is the position the-roller'assumes before each cutting stroke of the knife and is dened `by the abutment vof a'shoulder 68 formed on an arm .5.7 `With a' pin Y69'proje'cting from the yoke arm 461. y Y

`Apeeling blade '72 (Fig. 5), havingfa .litti'r'g 73, extends transversely of the'yo-ke '62 Vand is s'ecur'e" at each end to bosses 75 formed on the arms 57. The intermediate lportion of the blade is arcuate in shape so as to conform to the contour o'f .the concave guidejroller 52. The guide rollerganges the' depth offthe c ut 'taken by the blade 72 and steers or 'turns 'the bladef'to follow closely the irregular contour of the fruit. As the'roller traverses the surface of lthe pear, the knile'is p'ivoted in a counterclockwise direction against the resistance of the torsion spring 64. v Each cutter assembly 31 is Iheld in contact yvith surface'of 'the vpear by means o f a "separate pneumatic control-mechanism (Fig.`,j'2") that'is mounted on-the longitudinal jupper bar 37 iby .means of ja' bracket The pneumatic control vmecl'lan'is'm 80 comprises atrbell crank 83 (Fig. 71,) thattis pivoted `at j 85 tothe lo'w'er support '-bar 38. 'The yoke 62"of the cuttery assembly 31 is secured to the end ofonearm 88 of the bellcrank by a `bolt 89. The yoke 62 maybe adjusted relative to the arm 88 by loosening the bolt 89 and pivoting the yoke about the axis of the bolt. The bellcrank arm v88 has an opening 91 ('Fig. 9) formed therein near its outer end. A trigger 90 is pivotally V.mounted inthe opening 9-1 by a pin 92. Apair of arms`93 (Figs. li0`and ,11) project vupwardly from the bellcran'k arin .88 adjacent the opening A9,1 to receive `a YShort tube `9.4 which isjafi-r justably held jbetween the arms'byfa'bolt '95.V Jsffsirrlilar pair `of'arrn-s 96 isdsposed Von the opposi'teside ofyl'lc opening V91 tof adjustably Vlllunta short ,tube'9'7. upper extension 99 of the trigger 90 lis disposed between allarga battista of va check valvelionthat is arranged to close the passage Y102 in the tube 94., and aslualler of air under pressure.

The trigger 90 has a feeler yarm 140 (Fig. 9) which lhas a rounded, .-.pearcontaoting end portion ,141 disposed between the two roller elements 53 of the guide roller 520i the cutter assembly. Since the cutter assembly is adjustably mounted on `the end of the 'bellcrank arm 8S by the bolt 89, the distance between the fee'ler arm end 141 and the roller 52.1rnay be adjusted.

' The cutter assembly 31 and the trigger 90 are disposed in the position shown in Fig. 8 as the pear approaches. lIt will be noted that, since the large ball check 101a -fis oit its seat, the conduit 110 leading to the chamber 126 .of .the control ,housing is vented to vatmosphere at pear ,and begin the :peeling stroke. r .portionr141 moves along the surface ofthe pear, the

this time. When the end .1,41 oit-the .trigger contacts A,the 20 'surfaceof the pear, -the triggeris pivotex :in .a coun-terclockwise direction against `the resistance of the Vspring 1.707 `to .move the large vball check 101a onto its seat and permitthe smaller ball check 103m to move off its seat. With the .large ball check closing the conduit 110, pressurebuildsup in the-.chamber 126 causing the diaphragm to be moved toward .the left lto theposition shown .in

Eig. `9,. Movement of lthe diaphragm causes lthe bellcrank `83 l.tobe pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, raising-the .cutter assembly va predetermined distance .to position Vthe .guide roller yand the cutting blade in an fadvantageous positionto contact the stem 'end of the i As the trigger end 9.0 automatically pivots .backy and yforth `to :naininn the depth yof cut substantiallyconstant. Thus, it .be vnoted in Big. v9 that .if the cutting blade tends to i .deeper .into the pear, the trigger will be .pivoted counterclocltwise, venting the chamber 125 and .cansn ing counterclockwise .swinging of the bellcrank 83 to lift thecutter-'outwardly.ofthe pear. Similarly, if the cutter tends to leave the .surface ofthe pear, the. spring 107 swings `the --trigger clockwise, venting Vchamber 126 and causingthe bellcrank and cutter to be swung toward .the pear. .,IniFig. 7 .the relative position of the trigger end portion 1411and .the Y.cutter assembly is shown, as the cutting blade moves along the stemvlend of the pear. InyEig. 9 the .cuttingblade ,isrnoving up thebutt end ofthe pear. As the cutter starts down the butt end of the peat, the trigger .end portion v14.1Y drops away ,from the";surfaceof Qthe pear, as shown in Fig. 10, permitting theV spring107 to pivot the trigger clockwise to move the small ball check103a to .closed `position and` allow the .-largctbll check valve 101 to moveto yopen position.

ball 103a of'a check valve 103,`arranged to close .the

`97 communicates through a rigid tubular lextension .1164

and a flexible hose 117 with ja 'passage 118 in a'tiibe 119 pressed in an opening 120 in' the'other sectior l.,121' ofthe split housing115. v n. l(

The housing has a hollow interior whichis divided into two chambers and 126 by .a exiblediaphagm 127y that vis secured "between the twofsectionspf ,they

With this setting of .the ball check valves., .the chamber v 126 .is vented' and. pressure .is .built up in chamber 125 to shftthe diaphragm 127 toward the right (Fig. 9) and swing the bellcrank 83 in a clockwise direction. 4As

a' result, the cutter assembly 31 .is swung downwardly,

vxnti-ntaining rthe blade in contact with the pear and allowing" the blade to complete the peeling of the buttv end during afrelatively .short longitudinal movement of :the

' `Aspreviously mentioned, duringthe peeling operation,

1. the` is ,impaledpn a .support l tubev 29 which is provided housing. The housing` section121 has a tubular exe. tension `130 adapted .to slidab'ly journal a' rod 13,1 ,that

is "secured at one end to the central 'portion v'ojifthe diaphragm 127 and -iS rirtallysgsted' :tithe other f teethof lthe rack being .arranged tomesh with concave.

with ns (Fig. l2) on one end and is secured at the Y other end to .a pinion .151 vof ,anindexing mechanism `152. (Fig.A 4)'. The pinion 1514s 4rotatably journalled inv a cyliridrioa] housing ,153 integrally formed transversely on a sleeve-.154. The sleeve .154 is rotatably journalled in spacdhearing block-s which .are .rigidly ysecured tothe upper surface of the carriage 25. .Journalledwithin the sleeve 154 :and arranged ,to slide axially therein Vis a rod .15.6, having a circular rackf157 formed thereon, the

IEN

the rod 156 s shifted from left to right, or vice versa, the pinion 151 and the attached support tube 29 will be angularly indexed, about the axis of the pinion, a number of` degrees proportional to the amount of lateral shifting of the rod 156. The lateral disposition of the rod 156 is controlled by two longitudinally extending, horizontally disposed cam plates 160 and161 (Fig. 1) which have camming edges against which the opposite ends of the rod 156 abut. Each cam plate has al plurality of straight camming edge portions 163, 163a, 163i,- 163e and 1 63d connected by slanted transition portions 164. The edge portions 163, 163a, 163b, 163e and 163a' on one cam plate are of the same longitudinal extent and are directly opposite corresponding edge portions 163, 163a, 163b, 163e .and 163:1 on the other camnplatle and cooperate therewith to determine the lateral position of the rod 156. As seen in Fig. l, at the left-hand end of the machine, the edges 163, 163 hold the rod 156 in a limiting position at one side of the machine. As the carriage 25 travels toward the right, the rod 156 will be shifted step by step transversely of the frame until the camming edges 163d, 163d are reached. At this point, the rod y156 has reached the limiting position at the opposite side ofthe machine and the intermittent angular lindexing movements of the support tube and the pear'thereon will be completed. It will be understood that the number of angular indexing movements of the support tube are so coordinated with the width of each strip of peel severed by the cutting blade that the entire surface of the pear will be peeled while the pear is rotated one complete revolution.

When a strip of peel is being cut from the pear, the pear is supported jointly by the support tube 29 and by the opposed clamping cups 30 (Figs. 12 and 15'). Each clamping cup-30.r comprises a concave pear-contacting member 170 (Figs. 14 and y15) that has two spaced, rearwardly extending arms 171 fand 172 which receive the reduced diameter ends of a rod 173 in pivotal engagement. The central portion of the -rod 173 is journalled in a sleeve 174 that is secured transversely on the upper end of a shaft 175 which is arranged to be rotatably supported in a sleeve 176 (Fig. 14). The sleeve 176 is rotatably journalled in an opening 177 in a cup-supporting arm or lever 178. An outer sleeve 180 is disposed around the sleeve 176 and is keyed thereto by a setscrew 181 (Figs. 13 and 14). At its upper end, the outer sleeve 180 has a wing-like member 182 which has spaced abutment surfaces 183 that are positioned to be contacted by-wings 184 depending from the sleeve 174. `An adjustable stop screw 185 is threaded through an arm 186 projecting upwardly from the sleeve 174. The inner end of the screw limits the pivoting movement of the cup 30. With the-above-described arrangement each concave cup can swing about the axis of the shaft 175 and aboutthe axis of the rod 173.

Each cup control lever 178 is pivotally mounted on the carriage 25 by a bolt 188 (Fig. 15) which has a smooth shank portion 189 extending through an opening 190 in the carriage. A spring 191 (Fig. 12) is connected between upstandng pins 192 on the levers 178 and normally swings lthe levers toward each-other into pear-supporting contact with a pear on the support .tube 29. When the pear is to be indexed angularly preparatory to a strip being peeled therefrom, it is desirable to support the pear only from the support tube 29 since the frictional engagement of the cups 30 will resist the indexing movement. Accordingly, after one strip has been removed from the pear and just before the rod 156 (Fig. 12) reaches a slanted cam transition portion 164, the levers 178 are swung outwardly by the contact of slanted camming edges 195 and 196 of a iixed camplate v1.97 with pins 198 which are secured to thelevers 178 and project downlongitudinal framemember201 frs To prevent the cutter assembly from colliding with the support tube 29 when there is no pear impaled on the tube, a guide track 205 (Fig. 3).is'mounted longitudinally on the carriage 25 along one side thereof. At its forward end, the track 205 has a laterally projecting apertured tab 206 secured to the carriage 25 by the bolt 46 that mounts one of the wheels 45. At its rear end, a bolt 46 secures a laterally projecting apertured tab 210 of the track 205 to the carriage. The track is arranged Vto be contacted by a follower shoe 212 which projects outwardly from the yoke of the cutter assembly 31. It will be noted in Fig. 7 that the track is provided with a portion 220 which lifts the cutter assembly clear of the support tube housing and portions 221 and 222 which will lift the cutter clear of the support tube if no pear is impaled thereon.

The pear peeling'machine of the present invention is put into operation by starting the power unit (not shown) that drives the endless chain 47 (Fig. 3). Each upstanding lug 49 on the chain will drivingly engage the arm 50 of the carriage bracket 51 to propel the carriage 25 forwardly in the direction of arrow 27 along the support structure 28. The operator is stationed at a loading point which may be located at the left-hand end of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2. As each carriage 25 passes, the operator impales a pear axially on the support tube 29 at a time when the cups 30 (Fig. 12) are held outwardly of their fruit-gripping position by the cam plate 197. The impaled pearis then carried on the carriage 25 toward the right under the consecutive cutters 31.

As the pear passes under each cutter, a longitudinal strip of peel is cut from the pear by the self-adjusting cutter head 31. The pneumatic control mechanism maintains a desired downward pressure on the head 31 so that the depth of ycut of the cutting blade is maintained substantially constant. As the cutting blade passes over the butt end of the pear, the pneumatic control mechanism automatically causes. a lrapid downward movement `of the blade so that the butt end is traversed by the blade during a relatively short amount of forward movement of the carriage 25.

During the interval in which the pear travels between two cutters, the cups 30 are spread apart to permit the pear support tube 29 to be angularly indexed bythe indexing mechanism 152 which is actuated by the camming surfaces of the cam plates and 161. When the pear is completely peeled, it is withdrawn from the support tube 29 manually or by a suitable stripping mechanism. A

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a particularly effective mechanism for peeling a pear while it is moved along a straight line path. The use of an automatically adjusting pneumatic control for the cutter `head assures a uniform peel throughout the entire length of the pear and provides a means for effectively cutting a peel from the butt end of the pear.

It is to be particularly noted that the cups, which engage the sides of the pear, provide an effective means of Supporting the pear while the peel is being removed from the upper surface by the pneumatically controlled cutter.

It will be understood that modications and variations of the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for peeling pears or the like comprising a plurality of successively aligned cutters, conveyor means for transporting a pear along a predetermined path adjacent said cutters, a pear support member mounted on said conveyor means and arranged to support a pear with the stem-blossom axis of the pear disposed substantially parallel to said path, a support structure adjacent said mames-s- 7 eiliveyr iieans, means pivotally mounting each of said utters 'onfsaid support Vstructure -for movement'toward and 'away frornsaid pear support member, and a control neeh'anisrn `operatiyely connected to each cutter and arranged to apply a pressure on said 'cutter urging 'said 'u'tter toward the pearon said support tube, "said control mechanism including 'feelerineans in 'engagement with Lthe surface o he pear and arranged to selectively inerease or decrease ysaid pressure in response to the contour of the pear, 'pressure applying means operatively ton'- f movement of said feeler means in response to the contour of apea'r eirects a change in `the setting ofsaia pressure applying means and vehanges in the position of said cutter 'mounting means are made only by said pressure apply- 2.. A machine for peeling pears or the like comprising a plurality of aligned cutters, conveyor means for transporting a pear along a predetermined path adjacent said cutters, a pear support member mounted on said conveyor means 'and arranged to support a pear with the stemblossoml axis of the pear disposed substantially parallel to said path, a support structure adjacent said conveyor means, means pivotally mounting each of said cutters bi1 said support structure for movement toward and away from said pear support member, a pressure-actuated n'trol mechanism connected to the mounting means of efaehj'ctter', `each mechanism including a lirst pressure chamber arranged upon 'being energized to pivot'said mounting means toward the associated pear support member and a second pressure chamber arranged upon being 'riergiaed 'to pivot said 'mounting Vmeans away from said pear support member, and means responsive to the ecniur "of a 'pear on said support vmember and arranged to selectively energize Vone of said vchambers while cle-energizing' the other o said chambers.

3. A machine for peeling pears or the like comprising a 'plurality of alignedk cutters, conveyor means for transporting a pear along a predetermined path adjacent said eutters, 'a pear support vmember mounted on saidv conveyor means and arranged to support a pear with the stem-blossom axis of the pear disposed substantiallyl parallel to said path, a support structure adjacent said eriveyor means,`means pivotally mounting each yof said cutters on said support structure for movement toward 'away from said pear support member, a pneumatieally-ac'tuated control mechanism Vconnected to the mounting means' of each cutter, each control mechanism comprising a pair of pressure chambers, a movable diaphra'gm disposed between said chambers, a linkage connecting said diaphragm to said mounting means whereby movement fof said diaphragm in one direction causes pivoting of the Vcutter towardsaid pear support member a-nd'rnovement of the diaphragm in 'an opposite direction vcauses pivoting ot the cutter away from the pear support member, 'means for conducting air at the same pressure to both chambers, a vent passageV for each of said charnbers, valve means arranged to selectively open either of 'said'veit passages Aand including a feeler arranged to 'ride over -the surfaceV of a 'pear on 'said support member and 'open fsaid vent Vpassages in response to the contour of vthe pear.

` 4. A machine for peeling pears or the like comprising a plurality of aligned cutters, conveyor means for transporting a pear along a predetermined path adjacent said putters, a 'pear support 'member lmounted on said con'- 'veyor Ymeansy and y'ai-'ranged 'to 'support apear with the 'stem-blossom airis of the pear disposed substantially parallel 'to said path, a support structure adjaeent said con means, means 'pivotally mounting 4each of said etters 'on siasuppert sfru'eture fr 'movement toward and away from said lpear support member, a pneus matieallyeac'tuatedeontrol meehaiiisrn connected to the mounting means ofjeach `-cutter, each control mechanism ineludinga pair of "pressure chambers, a movable eiaphragn disposed'between said chambers, a linkage con necting said diaphragm to said inur'iting means, whereby mveine'ntjof said diaphragm ifi one direuon causes pivoting of (the `entier toward said pear 'support 'member and nrovementor. the 'diaphragm in an opposite direction c'iauses pivoting of the lcutter away from the pear support member, means for lconditctin'g air at the same pressure to both chamb'ers,'a vent passage `for each of said chain bers, vand means responsive to the contour of a pear on said pear supportmeinber' vforselectively opening the vent passage of one h'amber `'and V4closing the vent passage 'of the other. I A l 5. A machine 'for peeling pears ci the like comprisinga plurality'efsuecessively aligned eutters', eenveyor means for transporting al pear'along a predetermined 'path 4adfv jaeent said putters, pear support member mounted on said conveyor means and arranged to' support a p'e'ar with the stern-blossom axis of the pear disposed sube stantially parallel to `said path, a Vsupport structure ad jacent said conveyor means, a bell crank pivotally mounted on 'said support structure and havingone arm disposed above said pear lsupport member, a cutter mounted on said one arm of saidfbell crank, rneansfde turing au opening adjacent the 'end yof said one yarm-or saidbell crank, a'pneumatieally'-actuated'cylinder mounted adjacent said bell crank, a diaphragm dividing the inside of said cylinder into two' chambers, a link conneeting said diaphragm to the second arm kofjsaid bell v`crank whereby movement of said diaphragm in one direction oauses movement of 'said cutter toward said pear support' member land movement of :said diaphragm in the opposite diretion causes movement of said cutter away from said pear support member, means lfor :conducting pressurized air lat the same pressuretoboth of said chambers', a vent passage rfor' each of said "chambersand valve means operatively associated with both of said vent passages for yopening one passage while closing the other and 'include ing a `ieeler'l member pivotally mounted in the vopening in said one'arm `of said kbell crank, said feelermember having a portion movable along the surface of Va pear on said support'meinber and arranged to open and close said vent passages in response to kthe contour of the pear.

'6. In combination, a support structure, conveying means for moving a pear to' be peeled alo-ng a predeter- "iris mined path adjacent said structure, a Cutter support arm pivotally mounted on said structure, fluid actuated control means mounted on said structure and operatively corinected tosail"cuttersupportarm, said conn-o1 means havingl a plurality 'of settings 'each of which is arranged to adapt said control means to apply a different pressure to said cutter support arm,'feeler means arranged to engage the surface of the pear as it is advanced by said c'onveying means and to be' 'pivoted in response to the contour of the pear, and means operatively 'connecting said feeler means to said 'control means so ythat pivotal Vrnover'ne'r'it of saidfeeler means effects 'a change in the setting of 'said control means.

References Cited vin the .lile of `this patent iUNrrBus'rrA'rEs PATENTS 943,249 talisman Dec. 14, 1 9709 1,785,011 Felizianetti Dec. 16, 19,30 1,973,996 'lei'ns'tein Sept. 18, 19134 1,982,709` rhempson Dec. i, 1934 '2,459,368 Dunn y Jan. 18, 194,19 2,555,727 'Henderson Aug. 2,8, resi 2,664,127v `'P rrjeili..V Dec. v29, n195,3 2,699,119.21 ipe-Backer@ Jan. 1,1, 1955 '2,742,057 @sans et a1. Aprfvljl, 195s 2,775,279 Perreni Dec.' 25, 95p 2,789,603 De Bracket-'a1 Aer.' 23. 1957 

